Marked pharmaceutical tablet and method of marking the same



Jan. 2, 1962 R. Y. SANDERS, JR

MARKED PHARMACEUTICAL TABLET AND METHOD OF MARKING THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 26, 1953 INVENTOR Roy 54 NDERS JR 51 W, M @444- ATTORNEYS United States Patent fiice 3,015,609 Patented Jan. 2, 1962 This invention relates generally to a new article of manufacture and a process for making the same, and more specifically to a product in the nature of a coated pharmaceutical tablet having an identifying marking thereon and to a process for marking the same.

While this invention is directed primarily to the drug industry and to medicinal coated tablets and the like such as are provided thereby, it is contemplated that my invention may find utility in other industries providing edibles in relatively small tablet form.

The value of providing an identifying marking on pharmaceutical tablets and the like cannot be overestimated. For example, such marking may take the form of a trademark serving to identify the origin of the product and thus assuring the consumer of the quality thereof and preventing unfair competition and the imposition of possibly inferior products on an unsuspecting public. Also, such marking may take the form of code numbers or symbols serving to identify the composition of the product. Of course, where size permits the marking can take the form of several letters such as to constitute a name. Thus, it is readily appreciated that for purposes of identification such marking possesses considerable value.

Coated pharmaceutical tablets of the type with which this invention is primarily concerned are commonly provided with a highly polished outer coating such as a combination of carnauba wax and beeswax.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a coated medicinal tablet having an identifying marking printed thereon which will not chip or flake oif under normal conditions of handling and use.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a marked tablet having a smooth outer surface whereby to prevent abrasion and wear of the marking from adjacent tablets in the same container.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved method of marking such tablets.

The foregoing and other objects will become clearly apparent upon reading the ensuing detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a coated pharmaceutical tablet having an identifying marking therein in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken about on line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a modified form of marked tablet according to my invention; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken about on line IVIV of FIG. 3.

In accordance with the broader aspects of my invention, the tablets are printed with one or more appropriate letters, words, symbols or other indicia, whereby to provide the desired marking thereon, and then coated with a protective layer of transparent material.

More specifically, in one form of my invention the coated tablet is generally designated 1 in the drawing. This coated tablet comprises an unpolished medicinal core 3 having a coating 4 of sugar or the like for palatability, and for sometimes delaying the action of the medicine, and this is known and referred to herein as a coated medicinal core. The coated medicinal core is first polished with a coating 6 of wax or the like. The polished coating is then bathed with alcohol and coated with a coating 7 of resinous film forming material soluble in the alimentary canal, such material usually being shellac. It appears that the alcohol cuts the polishing coat somewhat and as a result the resinous coating 7 exhibits a tendency to adhere more strongly to the coating 6.

Indicia 2 is then printed on the coating 7 and the entire tablet is then provided with an outer protective coating 5 of a suitable transparent material such as for example carnauba wax, beeswax, or a combination thereof, lacquer, or the like. Obviously, any substantially transparent and edible material is suitable for this purpose, and the marking 2 being of a different color compared to the color of the coating 4 will be clearly visible through the transparent coating 5 and will be protected thereby against chipping and flaking during handling. Preferably the outer coating 5 is then polished.

By reason of the outer coating just described the marked tablet possesses the desired characteristics of durability under conditions of normal handling.

In another embodiment of the invention, disclosed in FIGURES 3 and 4, the polished coat 6 of FIGURES 1 and 2 is omitted and the resinous coat 7 is applied directly to the unpolished coated medicinal core. In this embodiment of the invention the coated tablet 1' therefore comprises a medicinal core 3 having a coating 4 of sugar or the like, a coating 7 of film forming material such as shellac over the sugar coating 4, indicia 2 printed on the coating 7 and a transparent protective coating 5 over the entire tablet.

The printing may be done in any conventional way, it being necessary simply to cause the tablets to bear against a printing mechanism such as a roller or stamp having the desired indicia engraved therein or embossed thereon and supplied with an edible ink, such inks being well known. For example, the ink may comprise about of an alcoholic solution of shellac, which is quite adhesive, and about 5% of an edible pigment. The marked tablets can be mass produced, as by conveying them on a continuous mechanism from a feed hopper past the printing mechanism and then to an outlet, such mechanism being known and the detals thereof forming no part of this invention.

The above described ink is particularly advantageous when used to mark indicia on the shellac coating because it produces an excellent adherence of the indicia to the coating by reason of the compatibility of the shellac coating and shellac based ink.

Therefore, it will be seen that the instant invention clearly accomplishes the aforesaid objects, and provides a coated pharmaceutical tablet having an identifying marking thereon which will not wear and flake such as to destroy the marking during normal handling of the tablet. It will be appreciated that certain refinements and possible modifications might occur to one skilled in the art upon the disclosure of my invention, and accordingly it is intended that this invention includes all such refinements and modifications as fall within the skill of the art and the scope of the appended claims. It will also be appreciated that this invention, while directed primarily to coated pharmaceutical tablets and the like is also susceptible of use in other fields wherein it is desired to provide a durable identifying marking on a relatively small edible tablet.

This application is a continuation of my pending application Serial No. 333,147, filed January 26, 1953, now abandoned.

Having fully disclosed and described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A marked pharmaceutical product for internal consumption comprising, an unpolished coated medicinal core, a coating of shellac over said coated core, indicia printed on a portion only of said shellac coating in an ink consisting essentially of an alcoholic solution of shellac and an edible pigment of a distinguishing color, and a protective outer coating of substantially transparent material over said coating and said indicia thereon.

2. A marked pharmaceutical product for internal consumption comprising, an unpolished sugar coated medicinal core, a coating of shellac over said coated core, indicia printed on a portion only of said shellac coating in shellac base ink of a distinguishing color, and a protective outer coating of substantially transparent materail over said coating and said indicia thereon, said shellac base ink consisting essentially of about 95 alcoholic shellac solution and about 5% of edible pigment.

3. A marked pharmaceutical product for internal con sumption comprising, an unpolished coated medicinal core, an alcohol treated Wax-like cotaing over said core, a coating of shellac over the last mentioned coating, indicia printed on a portion only of said shellac coating in an ink consisting essentially of an alcoholic solution of shellac and an edible pigment of a distinguishing color, and a protective outer coating of substantially transparent material over said coating and said indicia thereon.

4. A marked pharmaceutical product for internal consumption comprising, an unpolished sugar coated medicinal core, an alcohol treated wax-like coating over said core, a coating of shellac over the last mentioned coating, indicia printed on a'portion only of said shellac coating in shellac base ink of a distinguishing color, and a protective outer coating of substantially transparent material over said coating and said indicia thereon, said shellac base ink consisting essentially of about alcoholic solution of shellac and about 5% of an edible pigment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 200,589 Warner Feb. 19, 1878 2,089,209 Keufiel et al Aug. 10, 1937 2,245,100 Bernstein June 10, 1941 2,338,151 Weber Ian. 4, 1944 2,360,382 Weber Oct. 17, 1944 2,865,810 Sanders Dec. 23, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Rowell: Drug and Cosmetic Industry, vol. 63, No. 4, October 1948, pages 459, 460, 549-551.

Arends: Tablettenfabrikation, Berlin, 1950, page 20.

Clarkson: Tablet Coating, N.Y., 1951, pp. 55, and 

1. A MARKED PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCT FOR INTERNAL CONSUMPTION COMPRISING, AN UNPOLISHED COATED MEDICINAL CORE, A COATING OF SHELLAC OVER SAID COATED CORE, INDICIA PRINTED ON A PORTION ONLY OF SAID SHELLAC COATING IN AN INK CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN ALCOHOLIC SOLUTION OF SHELLAC AND AN EDIBLE PIGMENT OF A DISTINGUISHING COLOR, AND A PROTECTIVE OUTER COATING OF SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT MATERIAL OVER SAID COATING AND SAID INDICIA THEREON. 